Traditional combines with contemporary in countryside home

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Huntley Hedworth

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By Caroline Ednie

28 June 2016

Traditional has been combined with contemporary in an inspirational home and work space for a creative couple

The views over the northern Scottish countryside are immense and the light pouring into this former farmstead changes constantly. 'One minute the hills are purple and the next they'll be dark grey, and then the sun will hit them and they'll be bright orange or pink,' says printmaker Angie Lewin of the wild undulating landscape surrounding her home. 'This rainbow of colour has definitely had an impact on my work, especially my watercolours, where light is very important.'

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It's just over a decade since Angie and her husband Simon, who runs the couple's bespoke artist-designed fabric and wallpaper business, St Jude's Fabrics and Papers, came across a croft with an L-shaped steading in rural Morayshire, in the north of Scotland, while on a walking break. Both the croft and steading were derelict but they saw the potential for them to become a cosy home and inspirational studio. It did present them with a dilemma however – demolish or develop?

Dining room: Sitting at the long wooden table, which was sourced from Retrouvius, the couple can enjoy stunning views across the countryside.

Huntley Hedworth

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'The buildings were in a bad state so our first thoughts were that we should probably knock them down and start again,' says Angie. 'But I'm pleased that the architect we hired persuaded us to renovate. We'd probably always wanted to do that but were slightly concerned about the costs, and it was more expensive. But what's so lovely about it now is that when you drive past the building, which is in quite a prominent position on the hillside, it's exactly as it's always been on the skyline.'

Architect Mary Arnold-Forster explains how she approached designing the conversion. 'I felt my job was just to create a neutral backdrop for Angie's work and the couple's collection of mid-20th-century furniture,' she says. 'The idea was to appear to do as little as possible, so we removed the slate roof, sorted out the layout of the house, and then put the roof back. This lightness of touch looks effortless, but in fact demands more thought and careful detailing.'

The fireplace, made from simply rendered block with a final polished coat, divides two spaces. The stove is a Clearview Pioneer sourced from and installed by Bonk & Co

Huntley Hedworth

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What finally emerged was an L-shaped two- bedroom home-cum-studio, with the main entrance located at the 'elbow' of the L, and the open-plan living, kitchen and dining area, as well as Angie's studio, arranged along the main arm. It's here, at the far end of the building, that she works on preparatory drawings and cuts wood-engraving blocks and linocuts in preparation for printing. The studio also houses her Albion press – a type of early iron-hand printing press manufactured between 1820 and 1930.

Bringing daylight into the house was important and it's been designed with big windows in the north facade to make the most of the soft northern light. Windows in the roof, and floor-to-ceiling glass in the dining and living areas frame uninterrupted views of the mountain Ben Rinnes.

Main bedroom: Artwork above the bed is a series of letterpress-printed posters based on the shipping forecast, designed and printed by Flowers & Fleurons

Huntley Hedworth

'In the winter, we had two fairly long power cuts, yet the house still had this great radiance inside. We couldn't believe how light the space was. It had been snowing outside and the reflection from that meant that I was still able to do some work,' says Angie.

Sitting on the hillside, the house is exposed to battering winds and is open enough for deer and other wildlife to walk close by. 'When I go into the studio early in the morning I go carefully so that I don't disturb the mountain hares that are sometimes sheltering right outside the large glazed window and door,' says Angie. Yet inside it feels cosy, thanks to a woodburning stove in the living area and the couple's passion for collecting ceramics and artworks.

The surrounding countryside and light pouring in inspire Angie's work

Huntley Hedworth

'It stops the space from feeling too warehousey,' says Angie. 'I think the simplicity of the materials used – the concrete, the grey ceramic tiles and the pure white walls – creates a very calming environment. It's also a great backdrop for our artworks.

The winter and autumnal colours of the Scottish landscape influence me – that's when the plants are at their most structural. Sometimes I walk down to the River Spey's shingle bank and sit and sketch. I can do this for hours on my own. The basis of my work comes from being in the landscape and the more desolate and peaceful the better.'